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Are there ways to get a mortgage loan without making a down payment? While the options are not as plentiful as they used to be, there are still at least four government-backed programs that allow borrowers to buy a home with no down payment.
Over a decade ago, home prices were skyrocketing month-to-month, giving homebuyers “instant equity.” Mortgage lenders offered “zero-down” home loans to most of their customers, with confidence that those borrowers would soon own a significant stake in their homes. However, the housing market crashed, and home prices began plungin...

One of the biggest obstacles to homeownership is coming up with enough cash for a down payment. When your own savings are not adding up quickly enough and you don’t have a rich uncle to tap for an early inheritance, you may find some help in a down payment assistant programs.
Down Payment Assistance Programs
Many state and local governments as well as local lending institutions and non-profit organizations have created down payment assistance programs because of their vested interest in helping residents and fellow community members become homeowners. Those who own homes are likely...

Whether you have been saving up for your first home or you are ready to upgrade to a bigger place, you may be wondering if there is a “best” time to buy a home. While it depends on your priorities and your local market, there are some general home buying trends that could help you make your decision.
Spring & Summer
These are typically the hot home buying and selling months. That means there will be more listings to choose from as a buyer. However, that also means there will probably be lots of other buyers looking at those listings and the competition could heat up. You ...

After sitting down at the mortgage closing table to sign all the paperwork, you get the keys and can breathe a sigh of relief. But before you tuck all those mortgage papers away for good, there are at least 5 things you still need to do after closing to make sure everything is on track.
1. Figure Out the Start Date of the First Payment
Your lender or title company should have let you know this important fact before or at closing, but with so many papers and numbers being thrown at you, it might get missed. Your escrow account often requires enough money from you at closing to cover ...

Buying a home for the first time is a very exciting adventure, but as with any new experience it can be easy to make plenty of mistakes. In order to make a satisfying purchase, try to avoid these 5 big first-timer blunders.
1. Get Pre-Approved before looking for a home
If you are truly ready to make a home purchase, start with first things first. Contact Pacific Coast Home Mortgage to get pre-approved for a mortgage. This will give you a good idea of how much home you can afford and it will make you a viable buyer when you find the right house. Otherwise, you run the risk of falling in love with...

Many homeowners are eager to pay off or pay down their mortgages in order to save themselves money in interest charges. Many lenders have even anticipated this situation by offering buyers a bi-weekly payment program.
What is a Bi-Weekly Mortgage Payment?
Most mortgages are paid once a month, making 12 payments every year. With a bi-weekly payment schedule, the monthly mortgage amount is split into two and paid every two weeks instead. Since there are 52 weeks in a year, this results in 26 half- payments annually, totaling 13 whole payments. This means borrowers basically pay one extra m...